Multimedia mobile application Snapchat recently launched its first foray into the hardware market. Dubbed simply as Spectacles, Snapchat's first gadget is comes in a form of a sunglasses with a built-in camera.
The Snapchat Spectacles will hit the market later this year. The hardware will cost $130. Snapchat claims that the pair of sunglasses can record 10-second videos which can be easily uploaded into the firm's social media platform.
Snapchat chief executive officer Evan Spiegel confirmed that the company will release the Spectacles on a limited basis. Perhaps in order to drive interest into the device, prior to flooding the market with it.
For some in the tech community, Snapchat Spectacles is reminiscent of the Google Glass, an ill-fated piece of hardware which was Google's initial foray into the wearable tech market. In an interview with BBC, Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi said, "If you look at the kinds of glasses millennials wear, the design is very in. making them sunglasses helps hide the camera better, but it also limits the usage somewhat."
Based on the tidbits of information released by Snapchat, the Spectacles will record videos in a new, circular format, according to CNet. The videos can be viewed in any orientation. On the front panel of the Spectacles is an embedded LED light which will indicate to people nearby that the glasses are recording a footage. Snapchat also said that the Spectacles' battery pack can power the device for at least a day.
Snapchat, which shortened its name to just Snap Inc., marks a significant leap into its business with the release of Spectacles. Many market experts claim that this is a clear sign that the company is broadening its scope of business outside of its core software business.
The growth that Snapchat currently enjoys is unprecedented. The company was founded in 2011, and has since then propelled into the top charts of the social media platform. Snapchat claims that it has 15 million more daily user average than Twitter.
